Nostalgia, again, as a marketing mechanism
With the launch of the Definitive Edition for PC in 2019 and now in 2023 for console, objectives are met that aim to remember and keep the players of those who grew up with the franchise and have a special tour with the new and youngest players throughout the saga with more than 25 years since its first appearance.
Millennials remember the Age of Empires in the nostalgia of the campaigns, of the English, Celtic, Persian or Chinese civilizations. In their unique weapons like the famous and mainly warlike relations of an ancient world. This game, which has been the inspiration for hundreds of games in the category, today sees the light again on next-generation consoles to become a title that we remember, but we play differently.
Thanks to early access Xbox gave us, we revisited the game with today’s mix of rediscovering and bringing classic games and fashions to today. Now there is a clash between how we remember it and how we see it, especially due to the best graphic quality, sound and even game dynamics. Age of Empires reinvents itself, adapts and reaches 4K on Xbox Series X with a remastering of those emblematic sounds.
This new console edition addresses the challenge of not turning the joystick into a mouse pointer, but to improve the dynamics and give more tools with the use of all the buttons.
The new player interface, handling of upgrades and interactions feels fluid and grants greater control of resources, buildings and attacks. It even integrates intuitive intelligence features around selecting characters on the map and automating some of the repetitive or monotonous tasks in the game.
For example, resource care now has a structure that allows you to balance your villagers to have the ratio, whether it’s growth, war, or basic, so you can focus on tech development or attack formations.
Of course, for those who were avid PC players, it can create confusion, when going from one click and obtaining the multiple options, to modifying the decisions on buttons.
This reissue of the game contains the story mode that got millions of gamers hooked, with campaigns like Joan of Arc or William Wallace. And that with a certain historical precision allows fans of classical heroes to understand the reasons for the disputes and the reasons for their feats worthy of minstrel songs.
Available in Mexican Spanish, it does not forget its classic sounds of construction, healing and the unmistakable “wololo” of the monks converting soldiers or catapults to your side. In addition, this new control-focused development allows it to be on next-generation consoles, but through Cloud Gaming, we can even see it on cell phones and televisions, just by connecting the Xbox controller.
When is Age of Empires II coming out on Xbox?
It will be available from January 31 through Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One and Xbox Cloud Gaming and for those who pre-order the game it will include three additional campaigns to complete more than 200 hours of available gameplay, 35 civilizations and a journey through 1,000 years of human history.
